Embodiment of Eldia
by Order of Alignment
Summary: After an untimely demise, Eren finds himself in the Paths, confronted with a chance to do it all over again, as well as a gift. Thrust back in time with the powers of the Founding, Attack, and Warhammer Titans, Eren finds himself in the position to prevent thousands of Eldian deaths. The only catch; the burden will not be his to carry alone. [REWRITE IN PROCESS]
1. Prologue: The Paths

Eren groaned as he stood up, unconsciously rubbing his neck to soothe the phantom pain of his decapitation.

The last thing the Founder remembered was getting beheaded by a bullet, from a _girl of twelve,_ which was frustrating enough. Even _worse_ was that he had been close.

_So close._

And now he was here, in a place utterly unknown to him, yet familiar, with no idea how he got here, yet all according to plan. Yet, he noticed, Zeke was not with him, which was strange. To get here, contact had been required between him and his older (and delusional) half-brother, yet there was no sign of his father's first child. Had something gone wrong? No, that couldn't be it, he had made it, hadn't he?

And yet, he was alone here.

Or so he thought.

"_Eren Yeager._"

The holder of the Founding, Attack, and Warhammer Titans spun around to find a blonde-haired girl holding a bucket behind him. She was dressed in rags, to his surprise; he would have thought that the founder of a nation would be dressed like royalty, yet the girl before him did not. _She looks like Historia,_ Eren noted. "Who's asking?" he spoke cautiously.

"_Would you do it all over again if you could?_"

He froze at that. The chance to do everything over? The chance to save everyone he loved?

The chance to see his mother?

Who was he to refuse such a gift? However, Eren eyed the girl warily. "What do you-"

"_Would you do things differently if I sent you back?_" the blonde interrupted. "_Before the Fall. If I sent you back, would you be willing to shoulder the burdens of Eldia's past sins to save them?_"

"Everything I've done since getting to that basement has been for Eldia's sake." Eren spoke without hesitation. "Knowing what I know now, I could stop so many Eldians from dying. My mother…" He trailed off, then shot the girl a determined look. "Even if I have to do it alone, I would do it over."

The girl smiled. "Y_ou truly are worthy of the powers you hold inside you. I will aid you in your quest, Eren Yeager_."

He nodded. "Thanks, but… where am I? Who are you?"

The blonde stared at him. "Y_ou already know this_."

And it was true, for who else could be before him but Ymir, the Founder?

"What's the catch?" Eren asked suspiciously, and Ymir shook her head.

"_There is none. However, I have persuaded the Father to change a few things in favor of Eldia. For one, the Curse of Ymir is no more_."

Eren gaped. "W-what? You mean..?"

"_Live a long life, Son of Yeager_," Ymir smiled, and all of a sudden Eren's vision began to fade. "W-wait!"

"_One last parting gift to you, Yeager_." The goddess' voice sounded distant to the Titan Shifter's ears.

"_You will not bear this burden alone_."

…

…

…

* * *

...

...

...

He felt himself drifting for some time, then found himself on a soft surface, with someone shaking him._ I'm in bed?_

"Ugh…" Eren groaned. His head felt as if he had been tackled by the Armored Titan.

"Wake up, Eren. We're going to be late," a familiar voice spoke.

Eren's eyes shot open, and he saw the smiling face of his father. "Dad…" he whispered, then flung his arms around the older Eldian. He would freely admit that his composure nearly broke upon seeing the father that he killed, albeit unwillingly.

Grisha seemed mildly surprised at the show of affection, and chuckled. "My, you seem happy. Is it because you're finally going to meet Mikasa today?"

A multitude of thoughts concerning the Asian girl moved through his mind, then his mind caught the meaning behind the words with horror.

_Today is __**that **__day._

Eren flung himself out of bed and rushed passed his perplexed father out of his room and into the kitchen, where he grabbed a sharp kitchen knife. _I'll need this, won't I?_

After grabbing his boots and scarf (he cringed somewhat at the sight of it), he dashed out the door and towards the Ackerman farmstead.

_Considering what I made her go through before, what I said to her… _Eren gritted his teeth. _Saving her parents is the least I can do._

He had caused her so much pain in the past that this crusade was hardly a choice, but it was a choice he made nonetheless. He had long since dedicated to seeing his family and friends safe, and that hadn't changed, no matter what year he found himself in.

It was with this mentality that Eren left his father behind to save his friend's childhood.

Grisha simply chuckled and shook his head in exasperation as he watched his son run off. _Always going where the wind calls you, Eren. _His smile faded as he frowned. _I wonder what's got him so rattled…_

Shrugging, the elder Yeager started to prepare his medical kit.


	2. Chapter 1: Action or Hesitation?

_And lo, the child wept_

_For her champion had gone hither_

_As did her will for freedom_

* * *

Year: 844

"Grisha?" Carla yawned as she stepped put of their shared room. "Where did Eren go?" She gazed at her husband blearily, eyes still heavy with sleep as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Good morning," Grisha greeted his wife. He continued to rifle through his bag, checking it's contents. "He ran off to see the Ackermens," he answered.

"He ran off again? Really? That son of yours…" Carla scowled slightly, but the light in her eyes gave away her hidden laughter.

Grisha shrugged. "I suppose he couldn't wait to meet Mikasa."

Carla laughed, and went to prepare breakfast for her husband. "I think I'll come with you today. I'd like to meet the Ackermens as well."

* * *

The nine-year old in question was currently coughing his lungs out by the time he reached the gate that marked the border of the District, somehow managing to stumble towards a stream near thr begging of the forested part of Wall Maria that held the Ackermen residence. Why he chose to run all the way, he wasn't too sure, and his body was vehemently protesting the action.

Obviously, the stamina basic training had given him had not followed him to this new time.

_Funny, _he frowned. _I _**_do _**_have time. Lots of it._

It was a strange concept, knowing that he was no longer limited by the thirteen year limit. He now actually had a whole lifetime ahead of him.

_Come to think of it… this applies to the other Shifters as well, doesn't it?_

Well, that'd be something to tell Dad.

Snapping out of his reverie, he decided to rest by the river for a while, and put his back against a tree. He knew the traffickers weren't due until near-noon, so there was no need to rush.

So he lay there, watching the sun peak over outer Wall, and let his thoughts drift.

Considering who he was trying to help, his thoughts brought him to Mikasa.

What he had said to her that day, he had meant some of it. He truly hated slaves more than cattle. The other thing he spoke, well…

When he said he hated her, he never mentioned that he hated himself for putting himself, and her, into that position.

Eren clenched his fists. _Not this time. I've been given a chance. I'm not going to waste it. I'll save them all._

_Although… I can't do that without a plan, and allies._

This was going to be harder than he thought.

* * *

Carla wondered who could be knocking at the door at this time in the morning. She shrugged it off as she went to answer it.

"Honey!" Grisha called from the basement stairs. "Can you get that?"

"Already on it!" she called back. She continued towards the door, brushing some non-existent dust off her dress out of habit before opening it.

For a moment, she thought someone had just ran off after knocking, but after adjusting her gaze downwards, she saw the visitor looking up at her, and she smiled.

"Ah! Good morning, Armin. You're up early. Why don't you come in?"

Carla liked Armin. One of the admittedly few (okay, only) friends Eren had made during his nine years, the blonde had been a frequent visitor to house, and he was no stranger to arriving for seemingly no reason at some god-forsaken hour.

(The time he had snuck into Eren's room dressed in black robes as a revenge prank would forever be emblazoned in her mind.)

The look in Armin's eyes, however, told her that there was an actual reason for his visit. It was a somewhat haunted look, a look that she had only seen once, on Grisha, the first (and only) time she had asked about his family.

(A question that he had never answered, now that she thought about it,)

Armin nodded, accepting her invitation and stepping into the Yeager household, although keeping his shoes on, indicating a quick visit. "Thanks, Mrs. Yeager." His eyes darted to the basement steps with an intensity that surprised Carla. Why was he so interested in the-

"Is Eren here?" The boy looked at the mother with searching eyes. They seemed... different, from the last time she saw them. Older.

But she digressed.

The question had snapped Carla out of her reverie, however, and she answered as she went to prepare a snack for the young blonde. "No, I'm afraid not. He went ahead of his father to the Ackermen's house."

Armin flinching at the mention of the Ackermens did not go unnoticed by the mother, and her curiosity increased.

Why _did_ Armin come here?

Carla buried the thought for further examination later, and continued to speak. "We'll be going over to their place in a few hours, since we can't just show up at their house at 5:30 in the morning. Something I need to teach Eren, apparently…" she grumbled out the last part. "While we wait, do you want anything to eat?"

Armin shook his head, politely declining the offer, waving goodbye as he turned to leave the Yeager home.

* * *

A few hours past, the sun finally rising over the 50-meter obstruction that was Wall Maria and continued to rise with each passing hour.

Eren wouldn't know, for he had fallen asleep.

He would later reflect that it was the most restful sleep he'd had before the Walls fell.

He woke up around an hour to noon, rested and refreshed, and started his trek to the Ackermen homestead, taking care to stay off the path worn by other travelers over the years. If he remembered correctly, the traffickers would probably do some reconnaissance before striking their target.

So, simply put, they would be divided.

Eren wondered to himself if it the forest was thick enough to hide any signs of transformation from any possible passer-byes. The last thing he needed was his father, or the Military Police on his case.

After sneaking through the forest, an easy thing thanks to basic training (easier without clunky ODM gear, noted), he came across one of the traffickers, spying on the Ackermen house with a spyglass, his back to the time-traveling Shifter.

Eren grinned. _That's a mistake._

_Not that he'll live long enough to learn from it._

He pulled out his knife, then lunged toward the man's back.

Unfortunately for the Shifter, he overestimated himself.

Or, rather, he had forgotten he was no longer in a nineteen-year old body, but a nine-year old one, lacking the muscle for his muscle-memory.

So, unfortunately, his attack fell short, and he fell to the ground not so stealthily, and before he could recover, the would-be victim quickly turned in surprise around and kicked him out of a knee-jerk reaction, forcing him to drop the knife.

Groaning, Eren tried to reach for his weapon, but the man moved it out of his grasp, then grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against a tree.

_Shit._

"Oi, get over here, boys!" he called, and a few moments later, his fellow compatriots and wandered over to the man.

"What's up, boss? Where'd you find the kid?" one asked. The 'boss,' who was holding Eren by the collar of his shirt and holding his knife, shrugged. "The little bastard tried to kill me. He missed." The man grinned at that. "Maybe he's friends with the Oriental brat who lives 'round here!"

The goons laughed, and Eren glared at them. _How to get out of this..._

"Well," the boss spoke. "He obviously knows what we're doing, so he has to be disposed of." He raised the knife to Eren's throat and nicked it with the blade, drawing blood. "This'll teach you to attack your elders, brat. I'm gonna take my time with-"

The man raised in eyebrow in confusion as the kid, instead of screaming, ignored his wound and the threat of a slow, painful death, and closed his eyes briefly, before glaring at him with a rage he never would have thought to see on a kid. "What the-"

"Really? Trying to scare me with death?" The kid chuckled darkly. "It's_ far_ to late for that," Eren growled, and suddenly, golden light emanated from his wound.

It was the last thing the traffickers would ever see.

...

...

...

* * *

...

...

...

It was laughably easy to get rid of the other traffickers after transforming, but Eren wasn't laughing.

_Damnit! I should've realized that my lunge was shorter, like everything else._ He growled to himself. Mistakes like that got people killed.

As soon as he was done with this, he was heading back to start a training regimen. He couldn't afford to move as sloppily as he just did. Shadis would've had his hide if he saw that.

He only had one year before the Warriors arrived, after all.

After smashing the humans into puddles of blood, flesh, and bone marrow, he maneuvered a broken tree over the remains. The 'cover up' part done, the Shifter crouched, the nape expelling steam as Eren exited the Titan. "No one travels here often, so i should be fine," he grumbled. At least he had learned to transform without the _very obvious lightning_ that signaled a transformation.

His eyes automatically began scanning the surrounding forests for more possible threats, something he had picked up during his time in Marley.

Finding none, he shrugged, wiping dirt off his clothes, and went to check on the Ackermens.

Which is how he found himself frozen on their front steps a few minutes later, knuckles raised, ready to knock, but hesitant.

He, Eren, holder of the Attack Titan, was _hesitating_. _Ironic_, he thought to himself.

He wanted to knock, to actually meet mister and missus Ackermen for the first time, to look Mikasa in the eyes and tell her he was sorry for words she did not remember. That everything he had done was for them, nay, not just them. For _Eldia._

Or, he could leave her here to enjoy a calm, peaceful life without his interference.

_..._

_..._

...

He retracted his hand, turned, and left.

* * *

**A/N: The plot has been revised, and I think I'm ready to move forward with it, no matter what Isayama has in mind. Of course, the Rumbling is next week, so I may retract my statement.**


	3. Chapter 2: Summer to Spring

Grisha and Carla met up with their son at the gate to the Wall Maria, which surprised them. After all, he had supposedly gone ahead to the Ackermens, right? "Eren, aren't you going to see the Ackemens with us?" Carla asked. Eren, who had frozen upon seeing them (her), snapped out of it and shook his head, before trudging past them through the gate into Shiganshina. Carla and Grisha watched him go with concerned looks on their faces, before Grisha turned to go.

"There's food on the table if you're hungry!" Carla called out, and before she could turn to join her husband, she was suddenly embraced by Eren, who clung tightly to her.

"...Thanks, mom."

Where those tears in his eyes?

She never got to examine that thought closer, as Eren turned and disappeared into the District. She watched until she could no longer see him, then turned to join Grisha. "Truly, that boy… I might never understand him...

* * *

Eren frowned in thought as he wandered the streets of his home District, purposefully avoiding any and all streets he knew Armin frequented. Was he making the right call, leaving them uninvolved? Surely, with Armin's intellect and Mikasa's skill, they could find a better solution?

No. He didn't deserve, or need their help. The less they knew, the better. He knew what he had to do.

Although, the plan was going to have to change a bit.

After a while, Eren found himself in front of a jewelry stall in the well-off part of Shiganshina. He approached the stall owner, who scowled. "Scram, kid! I don't have time to deal with thieves today!" the man huffed. Eren, unphased, decided to test something.

How adept was his lying?

"Hey, mister!" he chirped as childishly as possible. "I heard that you buy pretty stones here!"

The man scowled again, but his interest was obviously piked. "Not just any pretty stone, brat. I only take the best…" The man trailed off, gaping at the palm-sized diamond that Eren had pulled from a pocket. He goggled at it, and quickly ushered the Shifter inside. "Where did you-" Reaching for the stone, he scowled when Eren pocketed it out of reach.

"I wanna lot of money! The stone is pretty, see?" Eren grinned, passing of the image of an enthusiastic child perfectly. The man blinked, then reached for a chest nearby and pulled out a small sack of coins. "Here, kid. Take this, and gimme that." He shoved the bag towards Eren, who only took a step back.

The stall owner growled something about 'smartass brats' and grabbed three more bags, then emptying the coins into a larger satchel. "This is all I'll give you, kid. Take it or leave it."

Eren tossed him the diamond, took the money, and left. The man looked at the diamond, then looked at the door where the kid had departed.

"Since when were nine-year olds such hagglers..?"

...

...

...

Eren's next stop was the Garrison.

"Hey, mister! How much for some ODM gear?" Eren asked as he approached an MP.

The soldier he had spoken to stared at him, and was about to tell him to scram just as the stall owner had, before the kid waved a _very full_ satchel of coins his way.

After making the soldier promise to keep the transaction to himself, Eren found himself burdened with two tanks of gas and ODM gear to lug home, something very hard to do since he wasn't a soldier yet.

Which is why he thanked Ymir that he still had the Warhammer. With it, it was just a simple task to find a secluded alleyway and create a tunnel leading home.

After stowing away the gear underneath his house, he began to create a small holding room, (similar in size to his father's basement), figuring that he was probably going to capture at least one of the enemy Shifters. When that was done, he stumbled into his home, at the food left by his mother, and promptly collapsed into bed.

_Note to self, use of the Warhammer is very tiring in human form._

Then he fell asleep.

* * *

The next few months were spent building up his physique and ironing out the kinks in his plan and in relative isolation. He cut off contact with Armin almost immediately, simply explaining to his grandfather that he was working some things out, which he accepted.

Since then, he had gone to great lengths to avoid Armin, and it had worked; he had hardly seen the blonde-haired Shifter since he had Returned, and all of those sightings were just glances from his peripheral vision.

He hadn't gone to the Ackermen's since the day he woke up, and he was content to let it stay that way. His father had come home one day and told him of the birth of Yuuki Ackermen, Mikasa's sister. He had been elated when he had heard that.

At least_ something_ good had come out of all this for Mikasa. She had gained a sibling and retained both her parents. It made him feel better about leaving her be.

Not that it hurt any less.

He had watched her, however, from a distance, usually when he was practicing with his ODM gear. Replenishing it's gas tanks was somewhat an annoyance, but he was thankful that either; a) the Garrison soldiers/MPs were too corrupt to resist his bribes or b) Hans was too drunk to actually notice, stop, of remember him coming in and filling his tanks.

So he trained, and grew used to having the body of a child again, and, as all children do, he continued to grow,

(He secretly yearned to regain his former height.)

Summer turned to Fall, and Winter to Spring, and before he knew it, the year of 845 was upon Paradis.

It was time for his plans to begin.

He started with a forged letter by 'Grisha' to Commander Keith Shadis of the Survey Corps, using his former mentor's trust in his father to delay the upcoming expedition in the Summer because of a suspected sabotage by one of the noble families. It was false, of course, but it would delay the Scouts from venturing outside the Walls on the day the Warriors arrived, saving numerous lives and, if he was lucky, giving Shadis time to consider his resignation.

As luck would have it, not six weeks after sending the letter, the headlines of the newspaper was the promotion of one Erwin Smith to Commander of the Survey Corps. The 49th Expedition Beyond the Walls is moved two weeks behind it's original scheduled date.

After that, life continued as it had since 844, until the day of the Fall of Maria.

* * *

"Eren, when I come back… I'll show you what's in the basement."

Eren shrugged inwardly. _I already know._ "Really?!" he said aloud. Grisha nodded, kissed his wife goodbye, and left to do his grisly business. As he was about to step through the door, Eren ran up to him. "Wait! Dad, take this!" He handed Grisha a letter, handwritten by him. "Don't open it until you get to Trost, okay? Promise!"

Grisha smiled, promising to uphold his word, hugged Eren, kissed Carla once more, then departed. There was no argument about Eren wanting to join the Scouts this time; they had not come, so there had been no massacre to witness.

Eren watched him go, watched until he disappeared from his sight, then went to go prepare his gear. _This time,_ he vowed, _I'll save them all._

He quickly strapped his gear and went to the front door, Carla staring. "E-eren? Where did you-"

"Mom."

All pretense of the child that Eren was not was gone; in it's place was the cool, collected Eren that he had been for years now.

"Mom. Go to the Ackermen's place. If you hear the Walls breaking, run for the docks and get a boat to Trost. Dad'll be there waiting."

"Ere-"

He left, then, leaving his mother behind, hopefully not for the last time. Carla would try to chase after him, but in the end decides to trust her son, and she departs for the Ackermens, taking a few prized possessions, hoping that they might have some answers.

As Eren took to the roofs, two sets of eyes followed him. They didn't bother him, however, allowing Eren to fling himself unimpeded towards the outer Wall.

The Shifter steeled himself for the battle to come. He looked back at the District that was his home, and took in the sight.

Then the Attack Titan moved forward.


	4. Chapter 3: The Battle for Shiganshina

_**A/N: Fuck it, I don't have time to rewrite this. **_

* * *

"_This- this shouldn't be happening. What have you __**done**__?!"_

_Zeke stared in horror as the Paths began to fade, the sands disappearing into the ever-growing void. Eren, meanwhile, did nothing but smile._

_Standing besides him, Ymir did the same._

"_I did what I had to, brother. It's out of our hands now." The holder of the Founder spread out his arms and let the void consume him. "Things will change, for better or worse."_

_Zeke stared at him, his half-brother's betrayal causing a stinging in his eyes. "But Eren, the plan! Why would you do this?!"_

_Eren was silent for a moment._

"_Because…_

_I was born into this world."_

* * *

Zipping across the District and catching the curious and shocked eyes of many onlookers, Eren sped to the Outer Walls with as much haste as possible, at last ready to make good on the plan he had formulated over the months since his return. Before leaving his home (would it still be there when he returned? Would his mother be there? He hoped so.) Eren had donned a hood from one of his jackets, not wishing to be recognized by anyone that might spot him, as many were doing at the moment, pointing at the figure speeding by on ODM Gear.

Offhandedly, Eren found himself missing the newer variant that Hanji and the Research and Development Department had engineered, even though he hadn't used it for the better part of a year after departing for Marley. Now back to using the basics, the Shifter found himself appreciating the upgrades the eccentric Commander had added to the Survey Corps' arsenal.

A wave of guilt passed through him. He had meant what he yelled at Hanji that day in the cells; while he objectively knew that the way he was headed down was the only way, some part of him hoped that there had been another road, another path branching out from the future Eren had thought to bring down upon the world.

Hanji hadn't been able to tell him, so Eren had continued walking.

And it had brought him here, to a Paradis unmolested by the fear of the Colossal and Armored Titans, to a world where both of Mikasa's parents were alive, where he had the ability to save his mother, where he could stop his father from sacrificing himself for Eldia.

So, _so _many deaths had led Eren here, and he'd be damned if he let them be in vain.

Arriving at the Walls, he looked out to the lands beyond Wall Maria, the last true bastion of Eldia remaining, and basked in the setting sun for a moment. _If all goes well… I'll be doing this a lot more often._

His revelry was cut off when, from the forest directly beyond the Wall, a Titan of female proportions burst from the bush, and Eren could very faintly here the footsteps of hordes of Titans, a sound he had become all too accustomed too during his early tenure with the Survey Corps.

Stepping backwards, Eren backed away from the outer ede of the wal as far as he could go, then deployed his hooks to said outer edge, and placed his fingers on the ODM triggers.

He paused.

Eren turned his head, taking a good look of Shiganshina, of Paradis, of his _home_, and absorbed it.

Then he brought his fingers down on the triggers, and with the experience of two lifetimes, flung himself from the Walls.

_Let's do this._

* * *

Hanging on the shoulders of the Female Titan, Reiner let a frown overtake his face. While she would never admit it to them, Annie was growing tired, having been leading the horde of Titans for just over half and hour. The _original _plan had been to keep switching between the Female and Jaws Titans, but that was no longer plausible, with the loss of the Jaws so early on in the mission. Annie had pushed herself to the brink of extinction, but they were close enough to the Walls that Reiner could offer to trade places with her and avoid running out of stamina. "Annie, you wanna switch places?"

The Female Titan shot him a look out of the corner of her eyes, and shifted her head slightly. Reiner nodded. "Alright, let me shift first." Jumping off the Female Titan, he slit his palm with a knife and shifted into the Armored Titan, then turned to jog alongside Annie.

The Female Titan grunted, gently grabbing Bertholdt and placing him on the Armored Titan, then Reiner reached for her nape.

He never got the chance.

Just outside the Walls, high in the sky, the air rippled with telltale golden lightning, then struck the ground.

Both the Female and Armored Titans gaped.

_The hell?!_

"What is _that_?!" Bertolht stared.

There, where the lightning had struck only meters away from them, was a Titan of fifteen meters, tall and lean, green eyes glaring at them from afar.

The Warriors stared. _No fucking way,_ Reiner thought to himself. He had expected the search for the Coordinate to be long, but this?

Had their goal revealed themselves to them?

_Maybe Marcel's sacrifice'll be worth it in the end._

The enemy Titan began to stalk forward, letting out a roar as it did, and Reiner returned it with his own. Annie, never one for loud gestures, simply shifted into a combat stance.

Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, it charged them, catching them off-guard, because it moved _fast_, faster than Reiner than expected.

_Shit!_ Reiner thought, moving back to dodge a blow from the enemy Titan. Annie, unfortunately tired out from her constant use of her Titan, was not as fortunate of dodging the attack and the fist, which _hardened_ just before impact, his her in the face, sending her flying back. Before the aggressor could take advantage of his fellow Warrior's weakness, Reiner stepped in between them, letting out another roar of challenge. _I don't know who you are, but if you're the Founding Titan… I can't let you get away!_

The enemy Titan, however, didn't roar back, only raising his arms to a defensive position and faced Reiner. Behind him, Annie got to her feet groggily and moved to circle.

The Titan looked at both of them, then fell into a combat stance, just like Annie.

No, _exactly_ like Annie.

There was a momentary pause, then the Warriors charged.

Reiner struck first, launching a fist at the Titan, who jumped back and prepared to retaliate before Anniestruck its side with a skilled kick, knocking it back more. The enemy simply grunted before moving forward again, dodging the second kick from Annie and launching a hardened fist of his own, which clashed against her forearms, shielding her from the brunt of the blow, though the crystallic armor cracked slightly when the Titan hammered it again. It stopped it's assault, however, when Reiner rushed it, nearly managing to wrap it in his arms only for the Titan to duck away.

Putting some distance between them, Reiner gritted his teeth. _Damnit, this guy's good. Better than me, probably. Annie's still tired from the journey here, and I'm mediocre at best..._

Annie lumbered up beside him, trying her best to stay upright, and Reiner cursed inwardly. _This wouldn't be happening if I hadn't lost Marcel…_

The Armored Titan began to stride forward again, intent on building up a charge and bringing the enemy down. Said enemy was looking at him with a hatred in its eye that Reiner might have thought undeserved if he wasn't aware of his mission objectives.

Then, the Titan shifted his glare away from him to something behind him, and took a startled step back, as if remembering something.

Annie roared.

Inside his Titan, Reiner paled.

So caught up in facing down their enemy the Warriors had that they had neglected to pay attention to the _massive_ horde of Titans they had been leading here, and they were almost upon them.

Seeing no point in continuing the fight, Reiner backed up to Annie, and abruptly ripped her out of her nape, gently holding the now-unconscious girl in his hand. _We need to make it to the Walls before the devils catch up to us._ The problem was, that Titan (was it the Founder? If it was, then he would have used the Coordinate by now, wouldn't he?) was blocking the way, seemingly defending the Walls.

Reiner tried to remember how fast his friend could run.

_C'mon, Bertholdt..._

* * *

All in all, the battle was going well in Eren's favour.

Annie was tired, Bertholdlt's transformation would only kill his comrades, and Eren as he was now was _more _than a match for Reiner. He had taken a few hits, sure, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. He dared not use the Warhammer's powers, however; on the off chance that one of them managed to get away, the less they could report about him, the better.

Then Eren managed to fight thorough the battle madness and remembered that _Sweet Wall Maria, those are a lot of Titans behind them._

Even then, Eren felt relatively secure. Despite his novice skills in the use of the Warhammer's Titan abilities, he felt confident enough he could fight his way through the Titans long enough to find Dina (_fucks sake, how'm I going to explain that to dad? Or mom?) _and assume control over the Titans, so Eren planted his feet and raised his fists.

Then he noticed something.

Bertholdt was missing. Had been missing since the start of the fight, even. Eren had assumed that he was hanging on to one of his comrades, but Eren could clearly see that he wasn't being held by Annie, whose Titan was dissolving on the ground, and he wasn't clinging to the armor plates of Reiner.

Then, out of the conner of his eye, Eren spotted a flash of blood.

Blood that, say, could be spilled from someone falling from a Titan.

And Eren understood his mistake.

_No. No, damnit, NO!_

The Attack Titan turned and took of in a sprint to the Walls.

* * *

He was halfway there when the Colossal Titan erupted from the foot of Wall Maria.

_This is close enough._

When the Titan had engaged his friend in battle, Bertholdt had jumped ship, somehow both figuratively and literally. Falling from Reiner's shoulder had been painful, but he had healed, and booked it for the Walls while their guardian was distracted. Which led him here, an appropriate distance away from the Wall to carry out the mission.

_Hopefully, Annie and Reiner'll get here soon._

Hearing an anguished roar, Bertholdt turned back to see the enemy Titan making a mad scramble for the Walls, evidently realizing that he was missing. _I don't know how you know my ability, the power I hold within, but…_

_It's too late._

Slitting his palm, he let the lightning consume him in a near-silent transformation, and found himself knealing in his Titan form. Gripping the Outer Wall with his hands, the God of Destruction brought himself up, and prepared to bring the devils of Paradise low.

Looking down into hell, Bertholdt rose.

People.

People, just like him, or his family and friends and everyone he had left behind, going about their everyday business, many stopping and staring in fear at the behemoth that had shown up outside their Walls.

"_It'll be horrifying for them. One day, you'll just show up out of nowhere and start killing them." _

Bertholdt remembered those words, spoke at a dinner with his family two weeks before the operation began, and a part of him agreed with those words.

He almost felt sorry for them.

The Collosal Titan brought his leg back, and prepared to blow the gate apart.

Something caught his eye, and he shifts his gaze downwards a bit more.

And, to his surprise, there's a blue-eyed, blonde-haired boy staring defiantly at him.

Several things happened in the few seconds that followed.

He heard an enraged roar from behind him, the same from the enemy Titan, then he felt something go through his feet like a stake through a vampire's heart, effectively stopping his foot from moving and destroying the entrance to the Walls.

Were he able to look back, he would have seen two massive pillars of hardened Titan skin holding his feet in place.

_What the-_

Then he felt something, two things, actually, pinch into the back of his nape.

And then there was pain.

* * *

With a professional ruthlessness garnered from two lifetimes, Mikasa Ackerman tore the Titan's nape open, and revealed the Shifter to the world.


End file.
